How to travel from San Francisco, CA to Chicago
Travel optionsfrom San Francisco, CA to Chicago
You can get from San Francisco, CA to Chicago by train, bus or flight.
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Travel Information from San Francisco, CA to Chicago
 | Distance | 1849 miles (2983 km) |
 | Available travel modes | Bus, flight or train |
 | Ticket price range | $91 - $238 |
 | Cheapest mode | Flight • $91 (€76) • 4 h 19 min |
 | Fastest mode | Flight • $91 (€76) • 4 h 19 min |
 | Popular travel companies | Greyhound, American Airlines or Amtrak |
Take a bus, flight or train to travel 1849 miles (2983 km) between San Francisco, CA and Chicago. If speed is a priority, then a flight is the best option with an average duration of 4 h 19 min; whereas, if saving money is more important, then a flight is the best option with prices starting as low as $91 (€76). The most popular travel companies which serve this journey are Greyhound, American Airlines or Amtrak among others. Travelers can even take a direct from San Francisco, CA to Chicago.
Travel Tips
There are 3 ways to travel to Chicago from San Francisco, CA including taking a bus, flight or train.
The cheapest way to get from San Francisco, CA to Chicago is by taking a flight. You can find average ticket prices around $91 (€76) compared to other travel options to Chicago:
Taking a flight is about $147 (€123) less than taking a bus, which costs on average $238 (€198) for this trip.
Taking a flight is usually $61 (€51) less than taking a train to Chicago, which costs on average $152 (€127) for the same trip.
The fastest way to get to Chicago from San Francisco, CA is by flight with an average travel time of 4 h 19 min.
Other travel options to Chicago can usually take longer:
In comparison, taking a bus requires on average 53 h 45 min of travel time.
In comparison, taking a train requires on average 51 h 40 min of travel time.
The distance from San Francisco, CA to Chicago is approximately 1849 miles (2983 km).
The average frequency per day from San Francisco, CA to Chicago is:
- 1 train per day.
However, we recommend checking specific travel dates for your trip between San Francisco, CA and Chicago as scheduled services by bus, flight or train can vary by season or day of the week.
These are the most popular departure and arrival points when traveling from San Francisco, CA to Chicago:
If finding a good deal is your main consideration for your trip from San Francisco, CA to Chicago, then we'll help you find the best value travel companies for you:
- Greyhound can get you to Chicago by bus. You can find a good deal for bus tickets with Greyhound from San Francisco, CA to Chicago for $238 (€198) on Omio.
- American Airlines can get you to Chicago by plane. You can find a good deal for plane tickets with American Airlines from San Francisco, CA to Chicago for $91 (€76) on Omio.
- Travel with Amtrak to go to Chicago by train. For a good deal on tickets, you can find Amtrak San Francisco, CA to Chicago tickets on Omio for $152 (€127).
Before traveling from San Francisco, CA to Chicago, it’s good to know what ticket you can book and how much it will cost in the next 7 days:
- A bus ticket for this route costs on average $238 (€198) one way.
- A plane ticket for this journey costs on average $91 (€76) one way.
- A train ticket is costing on average $152 (€127) one way for this route.
But we recommend booking San Francisco, CA to Chicago tickets online a few months before your planned travel date to score the best deals and save money on your trip.
Travelling from San Francisco, CA to Chicago: related information
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